Sep 28, 8:56 AM EDT
Malaysia summons Singapore's ambassador over Lee Kuan Yew's remarks
on ethnic Chinese
By PAULINE JASUDASON
Associated Press Writer
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Malaysia summoned Singapore's
ambassador Thursday to explain elder statesman Lee Kuan Yew's claim
that ethnic Chinese minority citizens in Malaysia and Indonesia
were being marginalized, officials said.
"We have called the high commissioner and we want to know what
exactly is the nature of the statement," Malaysian Foreign Minister
Syed Hamid Albar said, noting that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi has also sent a letter to Singapore's government to seek an
explanation.
Syed Hamid urged Singapore to apologize for Lee's remark.
"I think that statement went beyond fair comment, describing
something that is not true within our country," Syed Hamid told
reporters. "In all honesty, it should be right for them to say that
they are sorry. ... But we will wait."
Lee, Singapore's founding father who holds the Cabinet post of
minister mentor, told a forum in Singapore on Sept. 15 that
Malaysia and Indonesia "have problems with the Chinese. They are
successful, they are hardworking, and therefore, they are
systematically marginalized."
Singapore's High Commissioner T. Jasudasen met with Malaysian
foreign ministry officials Thursday, and Singapore "will respond
through appropriate channels in due course," a Singapore High
Commission official said on condition of anonymity.
Indonesia also summoned Singapore's envoy earlier this week to
explain Lee's remarks that Malaysia and Indonesia "want Singapore,
to put it simply, to be like their Chinese - compliant."
Malaysia's prime minister has expressed displeasure at Lee's
remark, suggesting that it could stir up Malaysia's Chinese, who
make up about a quarter of the country's 26 million population and
are its second largest ethnic group after the Malay majority. He
has also noted that race relations in ethnic Chinese-majority
Singapore are also not perfect.
Malaysia and Singapore have close cultural and economic ties, but a
history of quarrels, bad blood and rivalry. In recent years the
neighbors have sparred over the price of water, and took a
territorial spat over a tiny islet to the World Court.
